History of The Jews in Norway - The 1990s World War II Restitution

The 1990s World War II Restitution

In March 1996, the Norwegian government appointed a Committee whose mandate was "to establish what happened to Jewish property during World War II ... and to determine to what extent seized assets/property was restored after the war."

In June 1997 the Committee delivered a divided report, split into a majority (see: Summary in English of the majority report) and a minority (see: Summary in English of the minority report) view.

• Majority view of uncovered losses was estimated to be 108 million NOK, (based on the value of the NOK in May 1997), (≈15 mil. USD)
• Minority view of uncovered losses was estimated to be 330 million NOK, (based on the value of the NOK in May 1997),
• On the 15 May 1998, the Prime Minister of Norway, Kjell Magne Bondevik, proposed 450 mil. NOK, covering both a "collective" and an "individual" restitution.

On 11 March 1999 the Norwegian Parliament (Stortinget) voted to accept the proposition for 450 mil. NOK. The award was divided into two parts; one collective and one individual. The collective part, totalling NOK 250 million, was subdivided in three:

1. Funds to sustain the Jewish community in Norway (NOK 150 million);
2. Support for development, outside of Norway, of the traditions and culture which the Nazis wished to exterminate. The money is to be distributed by a foundation, where the executive committee members is to be appointed one each by the Norwegian Government, the Norwegian Parliament, the Jewish community in Norway, and the World Jewish Congress/World Jewish Restitution Organization. Eli Wiesel was suggested to lead the executive committee. (NOK 60 million).
3. The formation of a national museum for tolerance, established as Norwegian Center for Studies of Holocaust and Religious Minorities (NOK 40 million);

The individual part was estimated to total not more than NOK 200 million:

1. Compensation to individuals and their survivors, a maximum of NOK 200,000 each.

31 November 1999 was the last date to apply for compensation from individuals, and the result was that 980 persons got 200,000 NOK each.